Orchard-heater.



G. D. SHAEFFER.

ORCHARD HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, 1909.

Patgnted Nov. 28, 1911.

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2% 'vwooao @%%;M J m M ya UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. SHAEFFER, OF CANON CITY, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROUND CREST ORCHARD HEATER COMPANY, OF CANON CITY,- COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

ORCHARD-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent. y Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Application filed December 24; 1909. Serial No. 534,892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAltLES D. SHAEFFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canon City, county of Fremont, and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Orchard-Heaters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. v

My invention relates to improvements in orchard heaters, my object being to providea device adapted both to close the liquid fuel receptacle of a device of this character when the same is not in use and which shall also serve as a controlling means for regulating the combustion when the device is in use and also for the purpose of deflecting the heat downwardly so that it may be effective in protecting fruit that grows close to the ground, as strawberries and other fruit or berries growing upon vines or small bushes.

The novel feature of the device may be applied to any fuel receptacle having a centrally located chimney and consists of a top having depending spring-legs adapted to engage the wall of the receptacle with sufficient tension to support the cover in the desired position of adjustment, the said cover being vertically adjustable to cause it to occupy a position at any desired height from the top or upper edge of thereceptacle and i above the upper end of the chimney. As

shown in the drawing, this adjustable cover is shown in connection with a rece tacle having a centrally located frustum-s aped chimney or tube open at both ends, the bottom of the tube registering with an opening in the bottom of the receptacle which communicates with a draft opening in the base of the rece tacle. But it must be understood that t e said cover may be employed in 7 connection with other forms of fuel receptacles equipped with a chimney extendlng u wardly through the center of the receptac e. Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which is 1llustrated an embodiment thereof.

.In this drawing: Figure 1 is a side elev vation ofa liquid fuel receptacle equipped with my improved vertically adjustable controlling disk or cover, the said cover being raised above the top of the receptacle to show its position when in use for heat-deflecting and combustion-controlling purposes. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of a similar receptacle with the cover or disk shown in the closed position or that which it occupies when the device is not in use. Fig. 3 is a perspective. view in detail of a disk or cover.

The same reference characters indicate. the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 desi ate a fuel receptacle which is provided with a base 6 having a draft opening 7. This base projects helow the bottom of the receptacle which is.

These legs normally project outwardly beyond the periphery of the cover so that when the device is applied to the receptacle, the legs must be bent inwardly in order to bring them within the area of the top of the receptacle. By bending these legs inwardly they are placed under such tension that when released they will engage the inner wall of the receptacle with such tension as to retain the cover, in the desired position. By virtue of the transverse corrugations with which the legs are provided, the legs serve to support the cover above the top of the receptacle wit-hv greater facility and when the legs are under less tension than cover is provided witha depending flange would be the caseif the latter were smooth.

15, adapted to fit closel around a. bead 16 with which the upper e ge of the receptacle is provided, a sulficie'nt space being left begween the legs and the flan'ge to receive the ead.

necessary that they shall be charged or supplied with the necessary liquid fuel sometime in advance of the time when they are to be used; and it is necessary that provision shall be made to prevent d1rtor impurities of any kind from entering the receptacle.

Hence, when the device is not in use, the cover 10 will be shoved down to tightly close the top as shown in Fig. 2. When, however, it is desired to use the oil or other liquid fuel for fruit protecting purposes, the cover is raised to the desired height (see Fig. 1) and the legs 12 will support it in the position of adjustment above the top of the receptacle by virtue of their spring-tension, their holding capacity being also enhanced 'by the transverse corrugations, as heretofore explained. When thus used, the top or disk out and eifectually protect a relatively large surrounding area, whereby the temperature is raised sufliciently to prevent injury to the vegetation in the vicinity, which otherwise would be destroyed by frost or a destructive low degree of temperature.

By varying the distance between the upper end of the chimney 9 and the cover 10, the amount of air fed to the gases and products of combustion arising from the fuel In the case of liquid fuel receptacles, it is vertically adjustable with respect to the upper end of the chimney and equipped with depending transversely corrugated spring legs rigidly secured to the cover at one extremity a sufficient distance from the flange of the cover to allow the u per edge of the receptacle to fit between t e legs and the flange, the said legs having thelr opposite extremities free, the legs projecting into the receptacle and engaging the upper edge thereof for the purpose of su porting the cover in the desired position 0 vertical adjustment.

2. The combination with a liquid-fuel containing receptacle haying a chimney extending upwardly therethrough, and in com-- munication at its top with the1receptacle and with the atmosphere at its bottom, of a controlling cover vertically adjustable to and from the upper extremity of the chimney,

and equipped with depending transversely corrugated spring legs, rigidly secured at one extremity to the cover and at a sufi icient distancefrom the outer edge of the cover to allow the. cover beyond the legs to rest upon the edge of the receptacle, the said legs having their opposite extremities free, the legs projecting into the receptacle and engaging the interior of the receptacle for securing the said cover in the desired position of vertical adjustment, substantially as described.

.' In testimony'whereof I affix my signature 7 in presence of two witnesses. CHARLES D. SHAEFFER. Witnesses;

EUGENE A. BRADBURY, MARY H. MoQUowN. 

